The UNOFFICIAL Helium Operations'
Technical and Analytical Services Page

Bureau of Land Management
     Helium Operations
  Technical and Analytical
    Services Laboratory
 

                         801 S. Fillmore, Suite 500

                          Amarillo, TX  79101-3545

          e-mail: Chief,
Section of Technical and Analytical Services


                             Phone: 806/355-9400

                             Fax: 806/355-9286

Last Update: 1/97

Products:

Special Purity Analyzed Helium

Standard Cylinder (6000 L, 13.89 MPa).

Moisture Determined by Electrolytic Analyzer. Analyzed by Freeze-out Preconcentration and Mass Spectrometry or Guaranteed by Gas Chromatography / Helium Ionization Detector.

Total Impurities (including H2, H2O, Ne, N2, O2, Ar, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H6, and C3H8) within limits stated.

Guaranteed Helium available at <5 ppm and <3 ppm. Analyzed Helium available at <3 and <1 ppm. Call 806/376-2638 for pricing.

Isotopically Purified Helium-4

Standard Cylinder (2680 L, 6.20 MPa). Helium-3 Content <1 ppb, Total Impurities Including H2, H2O, Ne, N2, O2, Ar, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H6, and C3H8 is <5 ppm, Helium-3 Analyzed by Selected Ion Mass Spectrometry, Impurities Analyzed by Freeze-out Preconcentration and Mass Spectrometry. Report of Analysis provided.

                                       (call for
quotation)

Helium Mixtures

Standard Cylinder (6000 L, 13.89 MPa), or Aluminum Cylinder (4040 L, 13.89 Mpa) for ppm levels of CO, CO2, or O2. Helium with One or More Added Components.

Concentrations for each component are prepared to user specification, as low as 0.5 ppm, using gravimetric standards traceable to NIST. Mixtures normally may include H2, Ne, N2, O2, Ar, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H6, or C3H8. Rare Gas Mixtures available by quotation. Certified Analysis available by quotation.

Analytical Services:

Gas Chromatography

Routine Analysis for Specific Trace Impurities by Gas Chromatography. Detectable Impurities Include He, Ne, Ar, H2, N2, O2, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H6, C3H8, and isomers of C4H8, C4H30, C5H30, C5H32, C6H32, and C6H34. Detection limits may vary, but typically are less than 10 ppm.

Trace Analysis

Analysis by Liquid He Freeze-out Preconcentration and Mass Spectrometry. Impurities in helium are analyzed by quantitative mass spectrometry. Helium samples are preconcentrated at 4.2ø K. Detection limits 0.1 ppm are typical. Lower detection limits of 50 ppb can be achieved in Ultra-Trace Analysis by arrangement.

FTIR Spectrometry

Gaseous Components in Air, Nitrogen, Argon, or Helium Can Be Determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry. Typical Gases Identified are CO, CO2, NO, NO2, CH4. Detection Limits Are 100 ppb.

High Percentage Helium Analysis

Analysis for Helium Content in Gas Mixtures. Helium in Mixtures in the Range 10% to 100% is Determined Using the Special Helium Analyzer. Precision and Accuracy are 0.1% or better.

Low Percentage Helium Analysis

Analysis for Helium Content in Gas Mixtures. Helium in Mixtures in the Range 0% to 10% is Determined Using the 0-10% Helium Chromatograph. Precision and Accuracy are 3% relative or 20 ppm, whichever is larger.

Mass Spectrometric Helium Mixture Analysis

Analysis of Components of Gas Containing Helium in Percent Range by Mass Spectrometry. Detection Limit 0.1%. Precision and Accuracy 0.1% absolute or 15% relative.

Moisture Analysis

Analysis for Water in Helium by Electrolytic Method. Detection Limit 0.2 ppm. Precision and Accuracy are 10% or 0.2 ppm, whichever is larger.

Isotopic Analyses:

Helium-4 Analysis In Gas

Analysis of Gas for PPM to PPB Level Helium-4 Content using Selected Ion Mass Spectrometry. Detection Limit, Precision, and Accuracy are 1 ppb.

Helium-4 in Helium-3

Analysis of Helium-4 in Helium-3 Sample by Mass Spectrometry. Detection Limit is 10 ppm.

Helium-3 Analysis

Analysis of Helium-3 content of gas sample by Selected Ion Mass Spectrometry. Detection Limit 0.5 ppb. Precision and Accuracy 0.5 ppb or 10%, whichever is larger.

Custom Services:

Analysis of Non-Standard Gas Mixtures

Other Analyses May Be Available of Helium or Mixtures Containing Helium for Helium or Other Components, or for Helium in Water, Natural Gas, or Process Gas Samples.

Back to the home of Infrequently Asked Questions

This page produced and maintained by Tom Davidson.

*The statements made here are those of the author and do not reflect the policies of the Department of the Interior, the Bureau of Land Management, or Helium Operations. No guarantee is made of the accuracy of this information or its suitability for any purpose.